Feeler-motion for looms



E. S. STIMPSON.

FEELEH |v|0|oN FOR Looms.

APPLLCATLON FILED NGV.. M1911..

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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Invezz for: 54- a side of the loom.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFIcE.

EDWARD S. STIHPSON, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB DRAPER CORPO- RATION', OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0 IAINE.

FEELER-HOTION FOR LOOKS.

" Application ined November s, 1917. serial No. 200,251.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, EDWARD S. STrMrsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopeda-le, county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.y

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, and more4 particularly to feeler mechanisms of that type wherein the change in the operative condition of the loom, such as replenishment of filling, is effected prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle.

Thepresentinvention is a development or improvement on the feeler motions wherein the feeler motion devices are located at one side of the loom and the filling replenishing mechanism, as usual, is located at the opposite side Aof the loom. Under the conditions suggested, it is desirable in some instances to delay the operation of replenishment until the shuttle has been picked' a plurality of times. Where the feeler motion dictates replenishment of filling as soon as the shuttle reaches the opposite or filling replenisliing side of the loom, the action of parts must of necessity follow in close succession. A delay is sometimes desired in order to more efficiently and practically carry into effect the purposes of the feeler motion.

An important feature of the present invention, therefore, consists of means associated with a feeler for delaying the replenishing operation until afterthe shuttle has made a1plura1ity of picks or has made two or more excursions to the filling replenishing This feature of the invention is carried into effect by associating with the feeler, means actuated and positioned by the detecting action of the feeler member to effect operative relation of parts and consequent initiation of filling replenishment afterthe shuttle has made a plurality of picks.

The above and various other features of the invention will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawing Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

which shows one good, practical form of means for carrying the invention into prac-- vset forth by the claims.

. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing parts at the detecting side of the loom equipped with the present invention, some ofthe parts being broken away for clearness of illustration, and illustrating the position assumed by the feeler member on a detecting beat when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle;

Fig. 2 is a detail, partly broken away, showing the position of the feeler and associated parts when filling is substantially eX- hausted on a detecting beat;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, showing the actuator and operating memb er in the position assumed by these parts when the loom is running with a working supply of filling present in the shuttle, and also showing in broken-away detail, locking means for the controller;

Fig. 4 represents in detail side elevation, the position assumed' by the parts illustrated by Fig. 3, when, on a detecting beat, the feeler member has detected substantial eX- haustion oflilling; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 showing the relationof parts when the operating member moves backwardly Iafter a detecting action by the feeler member.

Fig. 6 is av perspective view ofy the controller and the parts associated therewith.

Referring. to the drawings: The loom frame 1, only a portion-of which is illustrated, may be of -any suitable character for supporting the operating parts. Mounted on the loom frame is the transverse or rock shaft 2 supported in bearings .3 secured to the loom frame by suitable means such as the bolts 4. Extending upwardly from the transverseor rock shaft 2 is an arm 5, to the upper end of which at 6 is pivotally conmember 9 as will hereinafter more ully ap pear, the actuator 7 effects rocking movement of the transverse or rock shaft 2, con-f the shuttle is properly positioned in the shuttle-boxLregisters with the opening 11 in the front wall of the latter to permit the eeler member to enter the shuttle on a detecting beat and feel for the filling.

The loom frame l'has the usua shipper stand 15 secured thereto'and provided with the slot 16 in which may move the shipper handle 17, as usual. Adjustably mounted on a bracket 18 which may be conveniently secured to the shipper stand 15 is the feeler stand l19. The feeler stand 19 is provided with a slot 20 .by which it may be convenientl secured in adjusted position on the brac et .18 by' suitable means such as the bolt 21, the construction being such that the feeler stand 19 may be adjusted rontwardly I and rearwardly and angularly with respect to the supportlng bracket 18. l

The feeler member i'n the illustrated form of the invention is supported in an inclined position relative to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle -so that on a detecting beat the feeler member may be moved lengthwise on its support and be given a swinging movement' laterally.- The rear portion of the feeler stand 19 is provided with a laterallyextending slot or guideway through which the feeler member '22 extends, and at its frontward portion, the feeler stand is also providedwith a guideway through which the feeler member 22 may nally and have a swinging movement. The rear guideway for the feeler member 22 is indicated at 23, being formed between upwardly-extending lugs of the feeler stand 19 and -the feeler member is confined for movement lengthwise and laterally in said guideway by a suitable cap-plate 24. The

front guideway for the feeler member 22 Amay be suitably provided as indicated in Fig. 1, by means of a block or bracket 25 through which at 26 the front end portion of the feeler member 22 loosely extends.

Secured to the feeler member is a bridgel piece 27, the side portions of which may the feeler stand 19, and interrest upon the bridgepiece 27 and the posed between front guidewayis a spring 28, the normal tendency of which is to move the eeler member 22 lengthwise to its rearward position as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1, the construction being such that the feeler member may` be moved frontwardly under the impulse of the frontward pressure of the y as indicated in Fig. e

move longitudifilling in the shuttle and have lateral movement in its guideways.

Rising from the feeler stand 19 is an arm 29, Figs. 1, 2 and 6, on which is pivotally mounted at 30 the swing-piece 31having a lower wing portion 32 which is adapted at times to engage a projection 33 secured to or movable with the eeler member 22. The plane of movement of theswing-piece 31 is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle. The feeler member 22 has a filling-engaging end portion 34 provided with teeth or a roughened4 surface, the construction being such that when a suiiicient supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat to continue the weaving operation, theA toothed or roughened end portion 34 of the feeler member by engagement lwith the filling, will be prevented froml movement longitudinally of the shuttle under the frontward pressure as the lay completes its detecting beat; Under these conditions, the part 33 carried by the feeler membei` will not enga the wing portion 32 of the swing mem r 31 as the feeler member moves frontwardly in its changing' angular position, as indicated by dotted and full lines ward pressure of the filling carrier or bobbin against theend of the feeler member will displace the feeler member laterally or in a direction longitudinally ofthe shuttle 2, and u n frontward movement of the eler mem er, as the lay completes its detecting beat, the part 33 will engage'the wing 32 of the swing member 31 and move' or swing it upon its support.

Mounted in suitable bearings 35 carried by the loom frame or shipper stand is a rock lshaft 36 which,-for the purposes of identification, may be hereinafter termed the controller. The lbearings 35 may be sustained in any suitable manner and as shown, are supported by a lug or projection 37 through which and a part 38 extends a bolt39. Projecting from opposite sides of the part 38 are the arms 40 which may be conveniently rovided as one form of means for sustaining the bearings 35 in desired position. The rock shaft or controller 36 may be held from longitudinal movement in its bearings 35 by suitable means such as the washers the controller 36 by a bolt 44 vas indicated in Fig. 6, the construction being such that when the finger 42 is moved by the swing member, the controller 36 will be rocked in its bearings. l

The controller 36 remote from the feeler member, is provided with a crank arm 45 which underlies a spring 46 secured tothe actuator 7, as best indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the'crank arm 45 thus sustaining the actuator 7 through the medium of the spring 46. The spring 46 may be of any desired character and is conveniently formed as a leaf spring, one end of which maybe secured by suitable means such as the screws 47 to a projection or lug 48 formed as part of or secured to the actuator 7. When the parts are in normal position, that is, during the weaving operation when sufficient filling is in the shuttle, they assume the relation indicated in Fig. 3, wherein the crank arm 45 through the medium of the spring 46 sustains the actuator 7 in position with its rear end portion 48', Fig. 3, below the projection 49 secured to or formed as part of the operator 9, the construction being such that as the operator 9, which may be a weft hammerV or a part operating therewith, moves backwardly and forwardly as usual, the projection 49 of the operating member will pursue apath above the end 48 of the actuator. When the filling has become substantially exhausted, however, the feeler member 22 will be laterally displaced by the frontward'pressure and as it moves frontwardly'it will turn the controller through the meanshereinbefore described, but just prior to such turning action of the controller, the end 49 of the operating member 9 will have ridden over the end 48 of the factuator v7, so that as the controller 36 is turned by the feelermember. 22, the crank arm 45 will act upwardly agalnst the spring 46 and place the same under tension as' 1ndicated in iFig. 4.

In order to maintain or lock the controller 36 in position with the spring 46 under tension, and hold it in such locked posltlon as v the feelei` returns to its rearward or feeling position, the present vinvention provides a controller lock. This lock may be variously contrived, but in the present instance of the invention it comprises a spring-actuated plunger, Fig. 3, the top portion of which is preferably inclined or formed conical in shape and is adapted to coperate with the. inclined portions at -the lower endof, the finger 42. The spring plunger in the present instance of the invention is shown` as comprising. a conical head portion 50 movable in a recess 51 formed in the feeler stand 19. Between the headportion 50 of the lock and the lower end of the recess is a spring 52 which normally tends to lift the head 5,0 into locking engagement with one or the other of the inclined surfaces 53 at the lower.end ofthe finger 42, the construction being such that the finger 42 will be locked yieldingly to one or the other side of the locking plunger 50,' to thereby maintain the upper walls of the recessed portion ofl the feeler stand, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3. The action of the controller lock is such that while it may hold the finger 42 with the crank arm 45 in either positionindicated in Fig. 3 or the position kindicated in Fig. 4, itwill yield under an impulse imparted to the controller 36 and permit the finger 42 to pass the lock. troller 36 is turned from the position indicated in Fig. 3 to that indicated in Fig.v 4, by the feeler member on a detection of substantial exhaustion of filling, the controller lock will hold the finger 42 and, perforce, the controller, in the position indicated in Fig. 4 as the feeler member returns to rear.

ward feeling` position, so that as the operating member 9y moves backward from the position indicated in Fig. 4 and frees the end 48 of the actuator 7, the tensioned spring 46 will cause the controller to lift .and place its'end 48 inthe path of the projection 49 of the operating member 9 on its neXt frontward movement.

Upon backward movement ofthe lay after a detection of substantial exhaustion of filling b the feeler member, the shuttle is plcke to the replenishing side of the loom,

vbut inasmuch as the end 48 of the actuator 7 vwas below the end 49 of the operating member 9, when the latter moved frontwardly as usual -on the detecting beat, the

actuator 7 was not moved frontwardly and perforce, the transverse or rock shaft 2.was not actuated and filling. replenishment was not effected when the shuttle reached the re-f plenishing side of the loom. ,The next beat of the lay is the non-detecting beat, the

shuttle being at the replenishing side of the loom, and the operating member 9 still maintaining its frontward position as indicated in Fig. As the lay goes back after the non-detecting beat, the shuttle is icked to the detecting side of the loom and t e op.

the'lay, the transverse or rock shaft 2 isturned and the replenishing ymechanism is positioned to effect replenisment wheny the shuttle again or the second time reaches the replenishm side of the loom. Thus, after a detection o substantial exhaustion of filling,

When the con- `the re lenishin operation is suspended or troller 36 and return it to its normal posi- `details of the descri tion ready for the next detecting action of the feeler member. This is effected by turning the controller 36 so as to swingthe toe 42 backwardly toward the swing member 31. Various means may be devised for accomplishing this purpose, butin the present instance of the invention the actuator 7 is rovided with an incline or cam portion 56, igs. 3, 4 and 5, which, as the actuator is moved frontwardly by the operating member 9 to initiate replenishment 'of filling, engages the crank arm 45 of the controller and causes it to be moved downwardly, or contraclockwise, Fig. 5, to throw the finger 42 past the lock into its initial position as indicated in Fig. 3. The parts are then in normal position, ready for another cycle of replenishing` operations.

he feeler member 22 should be returned to its initial feeling position after each detecting beat'and also after each replenishing operation. This is effected by means of a cam or incline 57 formed on the feeler stand 19 which is adapted to engage a projection on the feeler member .to move it laterally into feeling position as it is moved rearwardly by its spring 28. .As the actuator 7 is moved rontwardly by the operating member 9, the end 48 of the actuator engages the recessed portion 58 in the head of the operating member 9 and as the cam 56 ofthe actuator rides over the crank arm 45 of the controller,.the actuator is prevented from any undue lifting movement.

Changes may suggst themselves in the Jd invention, but the drawings indicate a good, practical form thereof, to which, however, the claims are not necessaril restricted.

1. In a loom, the combination of a feeler l member, means for suporting the feeler member to feel for the ingin the shuttle at the sideof the loom opposite the replenishin position, an actuator, an operating mem er, a controller between the feeler member and actuator, and means for locking the controller in position upon detection of substantial exhaustion of fil ing to effect operative relation of the actuator and' operatin secon time to the fillingreplenishing position.

member when the shuttle returns a 2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member to enter the shuttle and indicate the condition ofthe filling therein, means actuated by the feelcr member when it indicates substantial exhaustion of filling, a spring `placed under tension by said means when actuated by the feele'rmember upon substantial exhaustion of filling, and means actuated by the tensioned spring for positionin the parts for initiating replenishment of lling when the shuttle returns a second time to the filling ieplenishing side of the loom after an indication of substantial exhaustion of filling by the feeler member.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a eeler member for detecting the condition of filling in the shuttle on each detecting beat, an actuator and operating member, a controller moved from a normal to a secondary position by the feeler member wheny it detects substantial exhaustion of filling, a lock for locking the controller in the secondary position to which it has been moved by the feeler member, and means between the controller and actuator for operatively relatin the actuator and operating member whi e the. controller is locked in its secondary osition.

4. In Aa feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member for detecting the condition of filling inthe shuttle on each detecting beat, a controller moved from a normal to a secondary position by the feeler member when it detects substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, a lock for lockingjthe controller in the secondary position to which it has been moved by the feeler member u on detection of substantial exhaustion of filing, an actuator and operating member, means between the controller and actuator for operatively relating the actuator and operating lmember, and means for unlocking the controller and returning it to initial position. Y

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member to detect the condition of filling in the shuttle, 'an actuator, an operating member for moving the actuator, a rock shaft between the feeler member and actuator adapted to be rocked by the feeler when it detects substantial, exhaustion of filling, a spring between the rock shaft and actuator placed under tension by the lrock shaft when rocked by the feeler and acting under the induced tension to operatively relate the actuator and operating member when the shuttle returns a second time to the replenishin'g side of the loom after an indication of su stantial exhaustion of filling. y

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member to detect the condition of filling in the shuttle, an actuaactuator, a rock shaft between the feeler member and actuator adapted to be rocked by the feeler when it detects substantial exhaustion of filling, a lock for locking the rock shaft in the position/to which it has been moved by the feeler member, a s rin between the rock shaft and actuator p ace under tension by the rock shaft when rocked by the feeler and acting under the induced tension to operatively relate the actuator and operating member when the shuttle returns a second time'to the replenishing side of the loom after an indication of substantial exhaustion of filling.

7 In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member, an actuator, an operating member, a controller extending between the feeler member and actuator, a spring between the controller and actuator which is placed under tension by the controller when moved b the feeler on indication of substantial ex austion of filling and acting by the induced tension to operatively actuator, a controller between the relate, the actuator and operating member when the shuttle has made a plural number of picks after indication of substantial exhaustion of illing, and means moved by the actuator for returning the controller to normal osition. y

8. n a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler member, an actuator, an operating member for moving the eeler member kand actuator, a spring between the controller and actuator laced under tension by the `controller w en moved by the feeler member to operatively relate the actuator and operating -member when the shuttle has made a plural number of picks after a call for replenishment of filling, and a cam moved by the actuator for resetting the controller.

lIn testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD S. ,STIMPSON 

